1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to medical systems, and more particularly, to a life support and monitoring apparatus with malfunction correction guidance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Achieving adequate ventilation and oxygenation are the primary goals of life support systems. These goals are accomplished through the regular adjustment of parameters which control the number of breaths, the volume or pressure delivered with each breath, the inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2) and the end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). To manage these parameters, a number of controls provide for discrete adjustment of the gas flow, flow timing, air/oxygen (O2) mixing and airway pressure. Physiologic parameters such as oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2), end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), heart rate, blood pressure and temperature all play a critical role in the management of life support and are either monitored continuously or intermittently to assure homeostasis. A medical attendant is also responsible for maintaining a number of tubes and hoses (collectively known as the breathing circuit) which conduct gas to and from the patient and the physiologic sensors with their cables that attach to the patient for monitoring. Care providers must also monitor and manage the consumable resources (power, oxygen and compressed air, etc). Active monitoring and management of the patient and life support apparatus is typically guided by continuous noninvasive monitoring of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (Sp02), continuous sampling of exhaled carbon dioxide (ETCO2) as well as electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure (BP) both invasive and noninvasive, and temperature. Intermittent arterial blood sampling to measure arterial oxygen tension (Pa02), carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2), hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and the measured oxygen saturation (SaO2) is also required.
As a result of the inherent complexity of life support and the associated apparatus, care providers are required to constantly monitor and make adjustments to the apparatus to assure an appropriate level of support. Interruptions in care, even for a few breaths, can significantly affect mortality and/or patient recovery. So, when a fault or failure of the apparatus, breathing circuit, supporting resources (O2 supply, power, etc), physiologic sensors or patient occurs, the care provider must immediately diagnose and intervene to assure life support is maintained. Conventional life support systems have used alarm systems that detect the fault or failure and indicate the alarm state by identifying whether a parameter or parameters are above or below the acceptable range along with an audible and visible alarm annunciation. The immediate need to respond requires that the care provider have sufficient clinical knowledge, experience with the apparatus in use and the ability to quickly survey the equipment, connections and patient condition to identify any physical disruptions in the life support system. Based on this rapid assessment, the care provider must prioritize their intervention so that patient care and safety are maintained. This alarm approach places the majority of the burden for a successful intervention and safety of the patient on the care provider and their experience.
Therefore, a need exists for automatic non-human techniques to identify causes of fault/failures in a life support and monitoring apparatus and to provide specific guidance and/or instruction on how to mitigate the fault/failure while safely managing the patient and equipment. Use of such techniques will have a broad impact on patient care as appropriate intervention will be less dependent on care provider memory of procedural training and experience.